... In the early 1960s, one of the party founders, Bobby Seale was studying part time at Merritt College in Oakland. Every year, the college celebrated “Pioneer Day,” honoring the history of settlers who came West in the 1800s. But Seale and others noticed African Americans were never mentioned in settlement of the American West ...

... Fifty years after the group was founded, the Panthers remain a flashpoint in the struggle for black equality in the USA. While it’s true that the party failed to live up to its ideals during its more than 10 years of activism, it’s equally true that its efforts led to greater equity and strength in the black community ...